Forever The Second
by Shadowdemon321
Summary: "There is a legend that a fourteenth child will be born with the zodiac curse." Yuki and Kyo find a kitten while out one day, and bring her home. But there is something odd about her... Bad Summary! It's better if you just read the story...
1. Chapter 1

Hey! So, I don't even know where I got this idea. I daydream a lot, so maybe that's where it came from? :).

Anyway, I'm not too sure about the rating for this, so if any of you think I should change it, please review and tell me!

Side note: Miki means beautiful princess.

I don't own Fruits Basket

Enjoy!

. .

Chapter 1

She slumped down in the damp alley, lying on her stomach with her chin on the ground. She couldn't count the number of people who had passed the alley, looked at her, and kept moving. It was like nobody cared enough to help. She was dirty, wet, sore, and downright miserable.

But then she heard the two boys yelling, and dragged herself to her feet, all but running to find them.

. .

"YOU DAMN RAT! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" Kyo yelled, his hands balling up into fists.

"I'm not the one stumbling around like a drunk idiot, stupid cat." Yuki calmly responded.

They were just leaving the store after picking up a few things for Tohru, who was working. They hadn't wanted to come together, but after she'd asked if _one of them_ would please go for her, they'd spoken up at the same time. So now here they were, fighting like they usually did. Except Kyo was exceptionally pissed because when Yuki had oh so casually shoved him aside, he'd lost his balance and fallen into a puddle on the sidewalk. It had rained earlier in the day, furthering his bad mood. And, of course, Yuki was enjoying every moment of it.

So now Kyo was trailing behind the silver-haired teen as they made their way back home. But Yuki thought he heard something weird, so he stopped. Causing Kyo to run right into him. Kyo gritted his teeth, about to snap at him, when Yuki blinked, tilting his head to the side slightly. He was looking past Kyo with a half pitying, half curious expression. Kyo turned around to see what had captured the rat's attention.

A small white cat was running – or staggering towards them. The thing was filthy, with its fur matted up in some places and sticking out wildly in others. Both of the boys could see it was favoring its left rear leg as it made a mad dash towards them. Kyo sighed, fully prepared to shove the little cat off of him, but, to his surprise, it ran right up to Yuki, putting its front paws on his shin and mewing pitifully. Frowning, Yuki bent to pick it up, careful not to hurt its leg. He stroked it a few times, his frown deepening. Kyo rolled his eyes.

"Don't tell me you're considering bringing it home, rat. It probably has fleas." Yuki shook his head.

"No, I don't think so. It is really scarred up, though." He let his hand come to a stop on the cat's back, and studied it before giving a little nod. "I want to bring it home. I'm sure it's really cute when it's clean. Miss Honda would love it."

Of course. The rat was obviously head over heels in love with Tohru, but neither of them seemed to realize it. Kyo sighed. "Fine, but if I get fleas from it, I'll kill you."

Yuki smirked. "You'd try, anyway."

Kyo growled and stalked ahead of the rat, annoyed. That mangy cat was going to be nothing but trouble, he knew it.

. .

Of course, though, the surprise was ruined. Tohru was home when they returned, because apparently they'd given her the rest of the day off of work. Yuki sighed. He'd hoped to wash the cat up before Tohru saw it…er, her. But Tohru came to meet them at the door and take the shopping bags, and gasped when she saw the little cat in Yuki's arms. She rushed forward and picked it up, a smile adorning her face. "Oh, what a cute little kitten! Where'd you get it?"

"We found her on the way home," Yuki explained. "I wanted to clean her up before you saw her, though."

Tohru's smile simply widened. "Oh, I'll do it! I'm sure she'll feel much better once she's clean. She just needs a nice, warm bath."

The cat's ears pricked up, and she began to struggle. Tohru couldn't keep her hold, and the cat fell to the floor, pausing for a moment because of her leg. Then she awkwardly ran off; even with a bad leg, she was still faster than the humans.

Kyo, because he was still annoyed that Yuki had brought the cat home, decided to help. The little cat obviously didn't like baths, so he would help get her into one. Quickly, he grabbed Tohru and pulled her into a hug. As soon as he hit the floor as a cat he took off after the other one, quickly finding her huddled into a corner. He dipped his head down and grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, picking her up and carrying her back to Tohru. She mewled piteously as she hung from his mouth, begging him to let her go. Of course, he ignored her and, as soon as he caught Tohru's eye, trotted to the bathroom. He waited there with the kitten until Tohru arrived. Then he walked calmly out to retrieve his clothes, hearing the door shut behind him. He transformed back just as he got back to where his clothes lay, and quickly dressed, smirking. He went into the living room, where the rat was sitting and reading a book. He looked up when Kyo entered, and sighed.

"You just wanted to make that cat more miserable, didn't you?" he asked quietly. Kyo actually laughed.

"Hey, I may as well get some enjoyment out of it. It's not like Tohru's gonna give her up anytime soon."

Yuki looked ready to snap at him when a loud yowl made both of them whirl around to look in the direction of the bathroom. Kyo laughed harder while Yuki just blinked. "I didn't know something that small could be that loud."

Kyo shook his head, finally catching his breath. "Why do you think I hate kids?"

Tohru came out with a small white bundle cuddled up in her arms, shivering. The kitten was wrapped in a fluffy towel, making her seem even smaller. Her wide blue eyes looked at Kyo for a moment before she curled up further into Tohru's chest. Tohru laughed, gently petting her head. "Aw, it's okay, kitty. You're all nice and clean now. You'll be happy once you dry off, I promise."

Yuki smiled, glad that Tohru liked her. "What are you going to name her?"

Tohru looked up, her eyes huge. "I-I get to name her?"

"Of course. I brought her home for you."

Tohru blushed, and busied herself with rubbing the cat's back through the towel, trying to dry her off some more. "Um…how about…Miki?"

Yuki nodded, still smiling. "That's a lovely name."

Miki seemed like she was calming down a bit, but of course Shigure had to barge in and ruin it. "Oh, darling Tohru, what do you have here?" He rushed over to get a better look at the kitten, who cringed back, ducking her face into the towel.

"Shigure, you're scaring her," Tohru scolded. Kyo laughed again.

"Of course he is! He scares pretty much everyone!" Shigure threw a hurt glare at him.

"Oh, Kyo-Kyo, that's so mean! Why must you and Yuki be that way to me?" Miki chose that moment to reach out a small white paw and bat at Shigure's hair. He turned back to her with a smile. "See, I'm not scaring her! She likes me!"

The kitten began to struggle again, and Tohru set her gently on the ground. Without hesitation she ran-limped over to Yuki and crawled into his lap. But she decided she didn't want to stay there, and climbed up his shirt to his shoulder, curling up into his neck. He blinked, and Tohru giggled. "I think she likes Yuki, too!"

Miki batted gently at Yuki's hair. She reached out too far, and tumbled into his lap, letting out a little mewl of pain when her leg hit his. He scratched her behind the ears. "We need to get her to a vet soon. Her leg hurts."

"Oh, the poor thing! I can bring her tomorrow!" Shigure offered, grinning. He turned to Tohru for confirmation, only to find that she'd gone to prepare dinner. He shrugged and went to talk to her in the kitchen, leaving Kyo and Yuki alone with the new kitten. Yuki gazed down at the ball of white in his lap, and sighed. She gazed back up at him with eyes nearly the same color as Tohru's.

He just hoped Miki wouldn't piss of Kyo too much.

. .

I'm sorry if this chapter seems a little slow, I promise it will get better! Review and tell me what you think so far! :D.


	2. Chapter 2

As much as I hate to say it, because I don't like them, I believe the next couple chapters will be mainly fillers. I don't like how slow this story is coming (because I have written up to chapter 4 already), but it can't be helped. I hope you will be patient!

I don't own Fruits Basket.

. .

Chapter 2

They had found an old shoelace for Miki to play with while they ate dinner, mostly so she didn't annoy Kyo. Of course, that plan was doomed to failure. No sooner had Tohru sat down to eat than a little ball of white trotted into the kitchen with a long trail of black string trailing behind her. She jumped up onto Kyo's lap and began squirming around, playing with the string. Kyo pushed her off with a surprised grunt, and she went sprawling onto the floor, mewing. She picked herself up and limped over to Yuki, curling up by his foot and licking at her leg. Tohru was frowning.

"Kyo! She's hurt, don't be so rough!" She leaned over to give the kitten a pat on the head before resuming her meal. Kyo glared at her, and picked at his food, sulking. That damn kitten was already annoying him enough that he'd gladly throw her off the roof, and she hadn't been here more than an hour.

After a couple minutes Miki went to play with her string again, this time dragging it over to where she'd been lying by Yuki. He felt her bump against his legs a couple times, and smiled to himself. At least her leg didn't seem to be too badly hurt. Just enough that it was uncomfortable for her. He actually felt bad for her.

. .

Miki was happier than she'd ever been. She was so glad someone had finally taken her in, though that damn bath wasn't very welcome.

She chased the string around under the table, somehow getting herself tangled up to the point that she could barely walk out, mewing for help. Everyone except that orange haired kid laughed, and the tall one with the black hair helped her get untangled. She reached up and batted at his hand as he pulled away, making him laugh again. He petted her head. "You really are a playful one, aren't you?"

The girl – she was pretty sure her name was Tohru – giggled. "Yeah, she's a sweetie. I'm glad Yuki brought her home."

Miki assumed the silver-haired boy she liked was Yuki. He was nice to her. Then again, all of them except the orange haired one were nice to her. She wanted him to like her, too, so she rubbed up against his legs, purring. He pushed her away with a sound that sounded like a growl. She gazed up at him with her head cocked to one side, wondering why he hated her so much. She heard someone sigh.

"Really, Kyo, would it kill you to be nice to her?" came Yuki's soft voice. So his name was Kyo. She'd heard that name before, but where? Kyo shifted.

"You know I don't like her."

"Yes, but why? She _is_ a cat."

Kyo growled again. "So that means I have to like her? Really, just because I'm the cat means I _have_ to like every cat I see?"

Miki sat down by his feet, ears forward. He's the cat? She knew where she'd heard that name before. He was one of those zodiac people. The one like her. He must be that orange cat that had carried her to that wretched bath. She stretched up, placing her paws just below his knee and mewed at him. He glanced down at her, annoyed. His red eyes were narrowed, clearly threatening her unless she moved away. She didn't, instead trying to reach up further. She heard Tohru giggle again. "Kyo, just let her sit on your lap."

"No," he said through clenched teeth. "I don't want some filthy cat we picked up off the streets on my lap."

The black haired man spoke again, his voice laced with humor. "Aw, come on Kyo-Kyo. Be friends with the little kitty."

Kyo directed his glare at the man. "Shut up, Shigure. And don't call me Kyo-Kyo!"

Shigure pouted. "Tohru, Kyo-Kyo's being mean to me!"

"SHUT UP!" Kyo got up and stormed out, ignoring Tohru's cries for him to stop. Miki sat there for a moment before trotting after him, following his scent until she was stopped by the door. She mewed and pawed at it, but nobody came to let her out. So she laid down and curled up, waiting for Kyo to return.

. .

Kyo slept on the roof that night, and opened the door in the morning, only to nearly trip over the ball of fur in front of him. He growled and stepped over her, praying she didn't wake up. His prayers went unanswered because, after he'd gotten his milk out of the fridge, he felt two tiny paws on the side of his leg, and heard a pitiful mew. He glanced down at the kitten and shook her off, leaning against the counter.

"At least you'll be gone today," he muttered, taking another drink of milk. Miki mewed again, and he realized she must be hungry. He sighed deeply and went to get a small bowl out of the cabinet, setting it on the floor before turning to the fridge to find something she could eat. She followed him, sitting at his feet while he rummaged through the food until he found some leftover fish. He sighed again before throwing some of it in her bowl. She fell on it instantly, wolfing it down. Then she was back at his feet, mewing at him. He groaned. "What do you want from me?"

Again, she put her paws on his leg, looking up at him with those big blue eyes. With yet another sigh he glanced around to make sure nobody was up to see before he leaned down and picked the kitten up, awkwardly cradling her in one arm. She put her paws on his shoulder and licked his cheek before snuggling into his chest, quickly falling asleep. He stared down at her for a moment before carrying her into the living room and setting her down on the couch. But he sat by her, absently trailing his fingers through her fur. It was soft, and he let himself space out for a little bit. Until he heard Shigure chuckle, anyway. He scowled and stood up, startling the kitten awake. Shigure was grinning the grin that annoyed Kyo to no end. "Aw, little Kyo-Kyo does like the little kitty!"

"No, I don't," he growled. "She just wouldn't leave me alone. When are you taking her to the vet?"

"Right now, actually. But Kyo, why are you up? It's Saturday, you don't have school."

"I don't sleep in. Don't rush home." He stalked past the dog and up the stairs, going into his room and slamming the door.

. .

Shigure shook his head, smiling. He went over and gently picked up Miki, cradling her close to his chest. "Come, little one," he murmured. "We're going to get your leg fixed."

Miki snuggled up to him, totally at ease. She seemed accustomed to people handling her, causing Shigure to wonder just where she'd lived before Yuki and Kyo found her.

_Oh well,_ he thought, shrugging and heading out the door. _She's ours now._

. .

Shigure carried Miki for a while before they came to a small building. When he opened the door, a bell dinged, and he went over to a desk that had an older woman sitting behind it. He spoke a little with her, and she smiled. "Yes, of course. You can go in now."

Shigure smiled back and carried her down a short hall to a white room with a small table in the middle of it. He set her down on the table and stood beside it, petting her back. She purred, sitting down and enjoying his ministrations before another man came in. He was shorter than Shigure, and had brown hair. He smiled and came over, running his hands over her. She leaned into his touch, drawing a chuckle from him. Until he pressed his fingers to her leg. She jumped and backed away from him, ears back. He scratched behind her ears, trying to sooth her. Shigure petted her back.

"It's okay, Miki," he murmured. "He's just trying to help you."

She relaxed, and allowed the strange man to continue prodding at her leg. He nodded to himself, and went to the other side of the room, coming back with two rolls of what looked like ribbon, one white and one bright pink. He wrapped the white one around her leg, and then covered it with the pink one. Shigure smiled and thanked him, picking her up and carrying her out. She peered over his shoulder at the man, who smiled and waved at her. She sniffed at the stiff ribbon-stuff on her leg, and bit on it. Shigure gently swatted her head away. "No, no, Miki. Don't mess with it."

She ignored him, and bit at it the entire way home. As soon as they stepped inside the house he set her down, and she sat down on the spot, biting and licking at the ribbon-stuff. But then Tohru came downstairs, and giggled when she saw Miki. "Oh, you look so adorable!"

Miki got up and tried to run to Tohru, but the ribbon-stuff kept her leg straight, and so she stumbled and nearly fell on her face. She stopped, turning to stare at the pink stuff before sitting down and chewing on it again, now trying to get it off. Tohru rushed down the rest of the stairs and scooped her up, hugging her close to her chest. "Don't worry about it, Miki! It'll make your leg all better! But you can't bite it, or it won't work!"

Miki peered up at the beaming girl, wondering if she was out of her mind. She couldn't move her leg! She wanted to run, not stumble around. Shigure chuckled. "She just needs to keep it on for a week, and it should be better by then. We can take it off on our own after then."

Kyo came in from the kitchen, and stopped when he saw the ribbon-stuff on her leg. She squirmed so Tohru would let her down, and hobbled over to Kyo, mewing up at him and then biting the pink stuff. He caught her meaning, but just laughed. "Good, now you can't run around and annoy me."

Tohru immediately scolded him. "Kyo! That's mean! She's hurt!"

He glared at her, then huffed and went upstairs. Miki decided to try Yuki. But she didn't know where he was. So she went into the living room, because he liked to read in there. But he wasn't there, so she went in the kitchen. He wasn't there either. She finally stopped at the base of the steps, looking up dejectedly. She'd learned the night before that she wasn't very good at climbing them, whether it was because of her leg or not, she didn't know, but the pink stuff was bound to cause troubles. But she had to check Yuki's room. Determinedly, she started her long trek up the stairs, first placing her front paws on the step in front of her, and then dragging her back leg behind her, until she finally reached the top. Shigure and Tohru had watched this display switching between laughing and cooing about how adorable she was. But she ignored them and limped down the hall to Yuki's bedroom door. It was opened a crack, so she pushed her way in, her ears perking up when she saw the silver-haired teen sitting at his desk writing something. She mewed excitedly and rushed over. He turned and, upon seeing her dragging her leg behind her, took pity and got up to pick her up. He sat on the edge of his bed and placed her on his lap, stroking her back slowly, smiling. She gazed up at him, then bit the ribbon-stuff, hoping he'd catch on like Kyo did.

Yuki caught on, but didn't help her take it off. Instead, he put his hand over it, preventing her from biting it. She pawed at his fingers, but he didn't move them. "You can't do that, Miki. It'll just make it worse."

She huffed and flopped down, resting her chin on her paws, which were folded in front of her. He laughed and scratched her head. "Don't worry, it'll be off in no time."

She didn't care. She simply hated the ribbon-stuff with a passion, and wanted it to die in a hole.

. .

So, there's chapter two. Hope you love Miki as much as I do. :). I tried to make her seem like a little kid, just as a cat, because she is a kitten. So review and tell me what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

A couple things I wanted to tell you.

One: I am so sorry that the story is dragging on like this. It will get better, it's just taking a little while.

Two: Some of you must be wondering, where the hell is the drama? It's coming, don't worry! Like I said, it's taking a little while.

I don't own Fruits Basket.

Enjoy!

. .

Chapter 3

Miki was about four days into her week of struggling with that dang ribbon-stuff on her leg when they had a visitor. She was in the living room, sitting a bit awkwardly on Yuki's lap while he read a book when she heard the front door slam open, and Shigure loudly greet someone. Then a tall man with long silvery hair swept into the room, beaming like he'd just been told he was now the richest man in the world. "Yuki, my dear brother! It is such a pleasure seeing you again! Where is this kitten I hear you have oh so kindly taken in?"

His golden eyes landed on her, and she stared back curiously, her ears perked forward. He grinned even wider and wasted no time in sweeping her into his arms, holding her belly up with one arm while he petted her with the other hand. "Oh, she is simply darling! The poor dear, though, needing a cast on her leg!"

Miki had long since stopped paying attention to what he was saying, and was occupied with batting playfully at his other hand, which sometimes was scratching her belly and sometimes waving around wildly as he spoke. But, when Yuki spoke he sounded more annoyed than when he and Kyo fought, which, she learned, was a lot.

"Why are you here, Ayame?"

The man – Ayame – stopped, went still for a split second before he lifted her up in front of his face, his hands wrapped around her body just below her front legs. "Why, to see this little darling, of course! Shigure told us all about her, and I came as soon as I could! It took a few days, what with my shop and all, but now I am here!"

Miki reached out and swiped at Ayame's hair. He laughed and brought her close again. She clambered awkwardly onto his shoulder, sneezing when his hair tickled her nose. "Oh, she is so adorable! I wish I could wrap her up and bring her home!"

"Please do," Kyo muttered, just coming downstairs. "And as soon as possible."

Ayame blinked. "Oh, my dear Kyo-Kyo, do you not like the little darling?"

Kyo whipped around, eyes narrowed. "One, do not call me Kyo-Kyo. Two, no I do not like her. At all." He stalked off, leaving Ayame bewildered.

"How can he not like her?" he murmured.

"Kyo doesn't like anyone," Yuki answered. "Though I do agree with him on one thing. You should leave as soon as possible."

Miki squirmed to be let down, and as soon as she was, she stumbled over to Yuki, putting her paws on his leg and mewing before running back to Ayame, looking back at him as she did. He sighed, rolling his eyes and walking out of the room.

. .

Miki, Yuki learned, was just like Tohru. She even had those same blue eyes. She'd been clear enough in the living room: _be nice to Ayame!_

It was odd, sometimes, how well she seemed to understand things. She knew he didn't like Ayame, and tried to fix it. She was just a kitten, though, she shouldn't be able to understand things like that, let alone try to do something about it. It didn't make sense.

Luckily, Ayame left after a couple hours, saying he had business to attend to at his shop. Miki didn't seem to want him to go, running as best she could around his feet and mewing. He just laughed and told her he'd visit again. But before he left he turned back to Shigure. "You four should come up to the main house with her! Then all of us could meet her!"

Shigure laughed. "That's a wonderful idea, Aya! We will soon, I promise!"

Ayame gave his old friend a hug, and then grandly pranced out. Yuki sighed and leaned back on the couch. _Finally._ As much as he tried otherwise, Ayame always seemed to get on his younger brother's nerves. Miki bounded back into the living room, stumbling at the last moment and tumbling over, landing on her backside. She blinked, stunned, before jumping back up and attempting to jump onto the couch. But, she hadn't thought it through, and slammed head-first into the side of the couch. Yuki smiled and picked her up, setting her down next to him. She immediately climbed onto his lap and from there clawed her way up his shirt onto his shoulder. She seemed to like it there, though he couldn't imagine why. Maybe it was the heat. She lifted her head when she heard the door open again, and clambered back down, waving her butt before jumping back onto the floor and rushing to see who was here. But it was just Tohru doing some housework.

. .

Tohru had left the door open, so Miki trotted out onto the porch, lying down in a patch of sunlight to watch the girl. Soon, though, she fell asleep, and only woke up when Tohru picked her up and brought her back inside, shutting the door behind her.

Miki decided to see what Kyo was doing. She searched the house until she found him in the bathroom, showering. He hadn't shut the door all the way, so she was able to push her way in. She went to the side of the tub and, after a quick assessment, decided she would jump in, because she didn't realize that pounding sound was water.

. .

Kyo yelled out in surprise when a lump of fur suddenly pushed past the shower curtain and fell into the tub, yowling when the water hit it. He grabbed the kitten by the scruff of her neck and threw her out. He rinsed the rest of the shampoo out of his hair and got out after her, wrapping a towel around his waist and chasing her out. She stumbled out, mewing loudly. And, as luck would have it, Yuki was just coming down the hall when this happened, and she ran right into his leg, leaving a wet spot on his pants. He bent to pick up the shivering kitten and glared at Kyo, who glared right back. Without a word, Yuki went into the bathroom and came out a moment later with a towel so he could dry Miki off. She cuddled into him, leaving little white hairs all over him, as well. Kyo snorted and went to get dressed. That damn kitten was going to disappear, he swore. She was getting under his skin.

. .

There's chapter three! Hope you like it! Review!


	4. Chapter 4

I'm back! :D I bet you missed me! :D. Anyway, I'm hoping to get to some of the drama in this chapter, but if I don't, please bear with me! The story writes itself, I just go along with it. I already have a lot of the plot planned out, it's just slow getting there.

And for many of you, this chapter or the next one will explain a lot about Miki. I've been getting a lot of reviews asking if she's part of the zodiac, if she is when will she turn back, etc. Be patient, I won't say anything unless it's in the story.

I don't own Fruits Basket.

Enjoy!

. .

Chapter 4

Shigure announced a couple days later at lunch that they were all going to the main house, Tohru included. The rest of the zodiac members wanted to see Miki. Tohru, of course, was overjoyed. Yuki went along with what Tohru wanted. And Kyo refused wholeheartedly. Tohru frowned. "But Kyo, don't you want to see Kagura?"

He snarled and stood up. "If I never see her again, it'll be too soon!"

"B-but…I mean…she really likes you…and…" Dammit. She was crying. He sighed and sat back down. "Fine. But if she ends up killing me, it'll be on you."

She grinned and clapped her hands like a kid. "Yay! Miki, did you hear that? You're going to meet the rest of their family!"

Miki jumped up onto her lap, her leg finally free of that horrible pink ribbon-stuff. She purred when the girl stroked her back, curling up into a ball in her lap. But, being the hyperactive kitten she is, after about a minute she got bored and jumped down, going to try and play with Kyo. He growled, pushing her away, but she wouldn't give up, patting at his hand with her paws. He vaguely thought that her paws felt like little cotton balls when she did that. She looked like a cotton ball, too. And that was about all she was good for.

The stupid kitten decided that she'd get more of his attention by jumping into his lap and climbing up to his shoulder like she did with Yuki all the time. He sighed and just left her there, figuring she'd get bored and leave sooner or later. She began purring again, sending soft vibrations through his shoulder and neck. He had to admit, she was just warm enough to be comfortable there. She batted at his mouth just as he started to talk, and he spluttered, knocking her off his shoulder and back into his lap. She placed her front paws on his chest and mewed at him, as if saying _Please play with me?_

Dammit. Why did she have to have the same big blue eyes as Tohru? He suddenly stood, and Miki tumbled to the ground. He stalked out, ignoring Shigure's chuckles and Tohru's cries for him to come back. He plopped himself down on the couch, and had just gotten himself situated when a little streak of white barreled in after him, running headlong into his legs. She fell back, blinking, before sitting back on her butt and reaching up towards him, batting at the air. He sighed, reaching down and tapping her paw with one finger. She immediately lunged, only to run into the side of the couch. It didn't even faze her, though, and she dove at his feet, swatting and nipping at them like they were some dangerous enemy that she needed to kill. He watched her for a moment, allowing himself to relax around the tiny ball of energy. He supposed she _was_ kind of cute, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone. He bent down and gently tapped her nose, chuckling when she reached up with both paws, trying to capture the offending finger. He noticed that she always kept her claws in when she was playing, and was glad. He imagined that he'd be very scratched up by now if she didn't.

He found the shoelace that she'd come to love and grabbed it, trailing it in front of her. She stared at it, tensing up as she prepared to pounce. But, just as she did, he took the string away, and she turned so fast she fell over. Then she bounced over and put her paws up on the couch, mewing for him to pick her up. He hesitated before he did, and just set her on the couch beside him. When she curled up in his lap and fell asleep purring, he didn't do anything, just softly petted her.

Of course, he didn't know that Tohru was watching from the doorway, smiling. He would have thrown the kitten off in an instant if he knew.

. .

_He likes me he likes me he likes me!_

Miki was so happy that she'd finally gotten through to Kyo. When he moved, suddenly picking her up and none too gently put her on the floor, she mewed quizzically up at him. He ignored her and walked out, passing Tohru on the way. Tohru smiled and went to pick her up, carrying her out as well.

"We're going to meet their family now, Miki," she murmured. "You get to meet all the others."

Miki squirmed around, wanting to walk, but Tohru refused to put her down. She mewed, pushing away with her paws until Tohru couldn't hold on anymore and put her down. Satisfied, Miki trotted along beside them, tail up and ears forward. She wanted to see the other animals, because maybe they were as fun as Yuki and Shigure and Kyo were.

After a little while she allowed Yuki to pick her up again, because she was getting tired. When they came to a large gate Shigure pushed it open, walking in like he owned the place. Tohru followed confidently after, and Kyo and Yuki walked in a bit hesitantly, as if they didn't want to be there. A small blonde boy bounded up to meet them.

"Aw, is she the new kitten? She's so cute! What's her name?" he asked excitedly. Miki tried to swat at him, but couldn't reach. He laughed and drew closer, allowing her to bat at his face. He laughed again.

"Momiji, hi!" Tohru greeted. "Yes, she's the new kitten. Her name is Miki."

"Oh, that is so cute!" Momiji exclaimed, and plucked her out of Yuki's arms, holding her close.

"Yes, she is darling, isn't she?" came Ayame's voice. Miki mewed in greeting when she saw him and another man, this one with black hair like Shigure, but it went over his eye. He bounced over to give her a pat on the head. When she swiped at his hand he laughed. "Oh, look, she remembers me!"

The other man simply stood there. Momiji waved him over. "Hari, come see her!"

"I can see her fine from here," he responded quietly. Tohru smiled.

"But she probably wants to meet you. Please, Hatori?" she pleaded. He gave in and almost reluctantly came over to scratch her head. Yet another voice cut in.

"Finally you guys are here! Took you long enough!" This one was a boy around Yuki and Kyo's age, with black and white hair, wearing a white trench coat. He looked a bit intimidating, but his warm smile made him okay. "You know, even Akito wanted to meet her. Weird, huh?"

She saw Yuki tense at the mention of Akito. She wondered who that was. He nodded vaguely. "Yes, that is weird."

Tohru couldn't seem to stop smiling. "Hatsuharu, come meet Miki!"

He shook his head. "No, I just came because Akito wanted me to send you to his room."

They all migrated to one part of the endless maze of buildings and gardens. Yuki seemed almost scared, but covered it well. Inside, there was a boy who looked slightly older than Yuki and Kyo, with dark hair. He was facing away from them.

"So, you finally came to visit." When he turned, Miki stiffened. She knew him. And, by the smile on his face, he recognized her, too.

. .

Cliffhanger! :D I couldn't resist. You will have to keep reading to see what happens! Review!


	5. Chapter 5

Warning, angst lies ahead.

I don't own Fruits Basket.

. .

Chapter 5

Miki couldn't move. She wanted to hide, to run away, far from the man in front of her. Now she knew his name, anyway. Akito. She couldn't do anything but stare at him, her ears back and her tail bristling.

. .

Yuki watched the stare-down between his tormentor and his cat. The look on Akito's face was similar to the one he wore while beating Yuki. He suddenly recalled feeling scars under Miki's fur. His eyes narrowed.

"Akito," he said in a low voice. "You hurt her, didn't you? That's why she's scared of you."

Akito's eyes never left Miki's. "Well, I wouldn't say that. We simply…didn't get along, that's all."

"How do you not get along with a cat?" Tohru asked. Akito laughed.

"Ask Yuki that. He doesn't get along with a cat at all."

"I think she meant an actual cat, not a zodiac one," Hatori said, slightly scolding.

Akito simply nodded. "Yes, I know what she meant. But, it seems you don't know what this cat is." He gestured to Miki, who shrank back in Momiji's arms.

"What she is?" Shigure questioned. "What she is, is a little kitten who you seem to have beaten."

Akito snarled, turning on the dog. "No, she is a freak! More so than even him!" He pointed at Kyo, who narrowed his eyes. Only Tohru's hand on his arm stopped him from retorting.

"How so?" Shigure's voice had lowered, become more menacing. He didn't like where this was going. Yuki didn't either, especially when Akito smiled again.

"Well, you see, there is a legend that a fourteenth child will be born with the zodiac curse. But this child will be the second of that animal. So if this child is transformed, they will never be human again."

Everyone was silent. Slowly, all eyes turned to Miki, who stared back. Yuki thought of how she'd tried to get him and his brother to get along, and how she always seemed to understand what they were saying. But it didn't make sense.

"Then why hasn't she spoken?"

Akito shook his head, clearly enjoying this. "The fourteenth zodiac can't speak. Except for the human thoughts and emotions, they are completely that animal. In this case, a cat."

"But why is she just a kitten then?" Tohru asked, her voice trembling. "And why was she living on the streets?"

"She is a kitten because she was young when she was transformed. She was on the streets because her mother rejected her, and begged me to take her away. So I did. I tried keeping her here, but the damn cat ran away."

Miki let out a low mewl and began squirming. Momiji lost his hold on her, and she fell to the floor. Immediately, she ran for Kyo, hiding behind his legs and crouching down, trembling. Akito, with that same smile on his face as when they first entered the room, attempted to approach her. Miki hissed, swiping at the air with her claws, and Kyo tensed up, prepared to fight. Everyone seemed a bit surprised at the latter, but let it go for the moment. Tohru's quiet voice broke the silence.

"What was her name?"

Akito blinked, turning slowly to face her. For once, he seemed completely thrown. Then his little smile returned, yet again. Yuki was growing quite sick of it. "I told you, her mother wanted to be rid of her. So badly, in fact, that she never named her own child. Neither did I, because really, there was no use for one. She was stupid enough to run into a boy, so why should she deserve a name, especially the one you gave her." He paused, as if considering it. "Miki. The beautiful princess. With all of her beautiful scars, both physically and mentally."

. .

Without warning, Kyo bent, picked the poor little kitten up, and stalked out, ignoring Akito's screaming for him to stop. He didn't want to be there anymore, for a couple reasons.

One, being that Akito sounded like a raving madman, making Kyo want to punch him more and more.

Two, now he had found someone who could maybe, somehow relate to him. Sure, she couldn't talk, and she was young, but she was cursed with being the cat, too. He guessed she didn't turn into that…that beast, the other cat, but the other Sohmas would still probably hate her if they knew. She was the cat, of course people would. They hated him, and he was the normal one.

As he walked, not even paying attention to where he was going, he absentmindedly stroked Miki, letting his fingers trail through the soft fur. She was huddled against his chest, trembling, and not making a sound. When he finally stopped, at the main gate, he leaned back against the wall and sank to the ground. Miki put her paws on his shoulder and laid her head down on them, her trembling abating slightly. He buried his nose into the fur on her neck, closing his eyes. He didn't know if he spaced out or dozed off, but it seemed like only seconds later when someone shook him gently. He looked up to see Shigure squatting in front of him, looking concerned. Tohru was hovering over his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" the dog asked gently, his hand still on the shoulder that Miki wasn't currently sleeping on. Kyo shook it off and stood, keeping a firm hold on the kitten in his arms. He turned away so Shigure couldn't see the turmoil he was sure showed in his eyes. He almost heard the dog's sympathetic nod. "Alright, that's fine. We're leaving now, anyway."

Still not speaking to, or even looking at any of the others, he stalked out. He didn't even care that they saw he did care about Miki, like he normally would. His emotions were too screwed up to even think about hiding one of them. The worst part was, he didn't even know why he was so worked up. It's not like Akito had been tormenting him. He bet even Yuki was calmer than he was right now, even after seeing his abuser.

Kyo didn't let himself dwell on these thoughts; if he did, he might just collapse from all the stress. Or transform. Instead, he attempted to keep his thoughts pleasant, or at least vague enough to distract him. He thought about how soft Miki's fur was, how odd it was that she wasn't making any noise. Maybe it was the distress of having her secret out…that was a dangerous thought. He needed to think of something else.

But, no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't, not with the trembling kitten in his arms, the kitten who used to be a girl, but was stuck as a cat forever. The second cat.

. .

Well, that was a lot more angsty than I'd planned. I'd planned more drama than angst, but I think it will be more dramatic after this. I hope. DX


	6. Chapter 6

Yes, I have returned! School stuff and other things kept me distracted, but now I am back! For how long I do not know, but hopefully I will make some progress. I'm so sorry if anyone got annoyed. I can't believe how long I was gone…

Anyway, on with the show!

I don't own Fruits Basket. Only Miki :).

. .

Chapter 6

Immediately after returning home, Kyo stalked up to his room and slammed the door shut, still cradling Miki in his arms. He sat down on the bed and gently set her down on his lap. She was having none of that, and stretched up to place her tiny forepaws on his chest, mewing. He scratched the top of her head.

"I can't even imagine what it's like…" he murmured to her. She responded by nudging under his chin with her nose. He closed his eyes and let out a long breath, letting her nuzzle against him.

Eventually Miki clambered up onto his shoulder, and he put one hand lightly on her back to make sure she didn't fall. She placed her paws on his head, almost as if she wanted to sit on his head. He supposed that would look kind of funny, but she didn't. Instead, she got back down and leapt onto the bed, all her energy restored, it seemed. He smiled and trailed his fingers in front of her. The little cotton ball of a cat pricked her ears forward before pouncing, barely missing his fingers.

"How do you still have so much energy?" he asked her. She looked up at him with her head cocked to the side, but, of course, didn't answer him. She simply plopped down and curled up, contradicting what he just said. He rolled his eyes playfully and poked the top of her head gently. She immediately reared up and tried capturing the attacking finger. Someone giggled at his door.

His head whipped around to his now open door – when did it open? – and glared at Shigure, who was leaning against the doorframe and laughing. Shigure grinned and shrugged. "Hey, not my fault you're so cute playing with our little kitty cat! Well…our second kitty cat. You will never be replaced, Kyo-Kyo!"

"Don't call me that," Kyo growled half-heartedly. He was slightly confused as to why it seemed like the past hour or so never happened. He supposed it wouldn't make much of a difference, except now they knew what Miki was. Not a big deal, right?

Shigure picked up on his thoughts. Damn mind-reading dog. "You know, it's not really that big of a deal. Yeah, so she's a zodiac member. What difference does it make? We can't change her back. Besides, she's fun like this!"

Miki mewed indignantly, awkwardly leaping off the bed – landing sprawled on the floor before she picked herself up – and charged at Shigure's legs, ramming headfirst into his shin. She sat back, blinking, after her head made contact. Shigure laughed and scooped her up. "Aw, don't be like that! That's like Kyo, never accepting a nice teasing compliment. We don't want you to end up like Kyo, now do we?"

Miki swiped at his nose with her paw, as if to say _Shut up! _Even Kyo smiled.

. .

Yuki and Tohru sat side by side in the kitchen, snacking on leftover rice balls Tohru made earlier that day. Neither could quite wrap their heads around what had happened, so they stayed silent. But, of course, this couldn't last long.

"Hey, Yuki?" Tohru began timidly.

"What is it, Miss Honda?"

"Um…do we…I mean is there any catnip in the forest around here?"

He cut her a sideways glance, brows furrowed in confusion. "Catnip?"

She nodded quickly. "Yeah, for Miki! I just thought, you know, since today must have been so horrible for her…we could do something…I don't know…"

He smiled gently. "That sounds lovely, Miss Honda."

She grinned back, her eyes shining. "Can we go look now? I mean, if there is any out there…"

"I think there is. Come on, let's go."

She bounced up and rushed to the door, where she impatiently waited for Yuki. She half wanted just to spend some time with him, and half wanted to help Miki feel better, and had lots of pent up energy. Yuki laughed gently and took her hand, leading her out to the woods.

. .

And…I apologize for even writing this sucky chapter, but I needed to update! It's been too long! If anyone has any ideas for future chapters, review or send me a message!


	7. Chapter 7

Yes! Thank you all who have favorite/reviewed/followed my story! I really appreciate it!

And, thanks to DemonsVsWizards I now have a new idea to write. Thanks, dude!

This chapter is kind of angsty, so if you don't like that, you may not want to read.

I don't own Fruits Basket, only Miki and any other OC.

Enjoy!

. .

Miki was so glad to be back home. She hated Akito, and never wanted to see him ever again. Her mood brightened even more when Tohru and Yuki came back with these leaves that smelled really, _really_ good. She pounced on them and rolled around, causing them to stick in her fur. She wanted to drown in the lovely scent. Purring, she shook off, and swatted at a leaf that fluttered down off her back. She heard the others laughing at her, but couldn't bring herself to care.

Soon enough, though, she lost her energy, and plopped down in the middle of the little pile of green on the floor. Still purring, she fell asleep, legs sprawled out.

Her dreams, however, were not so light and fun.

In her dream, she was sitting at her old home, on the couch next to her mother, who was sobbing and lashing out with her fists. One caught her on the shoulder, and she cried out, cringing. This infuriated her mother, who began screaming at her.

"You stupid…thing! Why were you even born!? You're a freak! You should have never been born? What kind of god would do this?!"

Suddenly, she grabbed Miki and ran out the door, dragging her by the wrist. She struggled to keep up, her pale blond hair streaming out behind her. She didn't know how long they ran, but when they finally stopped she fell to her knees, exhausted. Her mother was pounding on something, yelling for someone to open up. There was a sliding sound, presumably from whatever her mother was pounding on. A male voice spoke, softly, and her mother answered in a frenzy. Then a delicate hand was under her chin, lifting her head to face the boy kneeling in front of her. He had black hair and gentle gray eyes. She blinked, and glanced up at her mother, who stared back stonily. The boy smiled, caressing her cheek.

"Yes," he murmured. "I will take her, gladly."

Her mother huffed, nodded, and stormed off, leaving Miki behind. She sat there, her cerulean eyes filling with tears, watching her mother abandon her. The boy laughed softly.

"There, there, don't cry little one. I will take care of you." He gently picked her up and carried her inside, not stopping until they got to a large, dim room with another door near the back. He headed for that door, opening it and setting her inside the smaller room it concealed.

"Now, you stay here, and everything will be fine, okay?" She nodded, and he shut the door, leaving her in utter darkness.

She didn't know how much time passed until she heard movement outside. She got to her feet, hoping he was coming to let her out, but instead she heard something hit the ground, and a pained whimper. The boy laughed, and a sharp _crack_ resounded. Another whimper.

"Yuki, Yuki, why don't you ever do as I say?" the boy asked, his voice dripping with amusement. Another crack, and then silence. A door shut, and there was no noise for a while.

She soon forgot the name the boy said, because it wasn't important.

More time passed, and she became more and more certain she needed to leave here. It simply wasn't nice here. She was hungry, and sore, and thirsty. So when the door to her little room opened, she didn't hesitate in dashing out, somehow not stumbling. Nobody chased after her, and she made it out to the streets with little trouble.

Once out, she began simply wandering about, not sure what to do now. A small boy was running around, looking for his mother, and she decided to help him. When she got behind him, he abruptly turned around, slamming into her. They both fell backwards, vanishing momentarily in a puff of smoke. Suddenly the boy seemed a lot taller, and she got scared, turning and running. She ran into a small alleyway, littered with cardboard and bits of broken glass. As she passed a large piece of glass, she happened to glance down, and froze. Gazing back at her, with her wide blue eyes, was a small, white kitten. When she blinked, it blinked. When she wrinkled her nose, it did, too. Was that kitten her? No, that was impossible, it…

Was that why her mother hated her?

She shook her head, and stumbled backward, landing on her rump. This was insane. She needed sleep. So she laid down on the cold, hard ground, and promptly passed out.

She was startled awake by a horrible growling. Her eyes snapped open to see a large dog towering above her. She let out a terrified yowl and scrambled away, managing to clamber up on top of a dumpster. She waited there, trembling, until it gave up and stalked away. She attempted to crawl down, but slipped and fell. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting to hit the ground –

– and woke up, trembling on something soft. She raised her head to find she was on Kyo's bed, lying on his comforter. He was lying next to her, sleeping. Frightened by the memory-dream, she crawled onto his chest and curled up into a little ball, comforted by the rise and fall of his breathing. Then she attempted to go back to sleep, which she barely succeeded in doing. It was more of a nap, and she did not dream again that night.

. .

Thanks again to DemonsVsWizards for the idea! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next one probably will be a bit lighter in mood, because I don't like writing depressing things for too long.


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